Ruby Red and Rosemary Honey Cocktail

Quick! Name this cocktail. I’m at a loss for what to call it. It’s not quite a sparkler, fizz or smash. It’s also not a daiquiri, which is made with rum, or a bee’s knees, although it’s close (this little pink number is made with vodka instead of gin). I’m not sure it qualifies as a martini, either, and let’s definitely not throw -tini on the end, which we all know is code for syrupy sweet, girly drinks.

Maybe I should pause to tell you what this drink is, precisely. It is composed of freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, vodka, a splash of lemon, a sprig of rosemary and just enough honey simple syrup to make it irresistible. It is: fresh, pretty and pink, but not so sweet that a dude would refuse it. A gussied-up version of my rosemary gin fizz. Light and refreshing but packs a punch, which makes it perfect for the holiday season.

I thought about making up my own name for the drink, but I’m not feeling quite so bold this morning. Maybe it will come to me if I drink another cup of coffee. How about… Rose-Colored Glasses? Or, Pink Drink? Kidding. The Grapefruit Honey? Grapefruit is an awkward word, come to think of it. Grape. Fruit. It doesn’t taste like grapes, nor is it the color of grapes. Why?

Naming recipes is hard. I never know which name will go over well, or which will best sum up the essence of the recipe. The best recipe names incite stampedes to the kitchen; the worst fall flat and get skipped over in the recipe books. Ruby red and rosemary honey just occurred to me and sounds lovely to my ears, but if you have suggestions for this cocktail’s name, let’s hear them!

Garnish, per drink

2 to 3-inch sprig of rosemary

Instructions

First, juice the grapefruits and make the honey simple syrup. Pour the honey and water into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Use a whisk to blend the honey into the water and remove from heat (there is no need to bring the mixture to a simmer, this process should only take a couple of minutes).

Fill a small cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the grapefruit juice, vodka, lemon juice and honey simple syrup. Top with a sprig of rosemary and a dash of salt. Put on the lid and shake until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a small sprig of rosemary. Serve immediately.

Notes

Gin would also be lovely in this cocktail.

Leftover honey simple syrup should keep well, refrigerated and covered, for several weeks.

You can use store-bought grapefruit juice if you’d like, but freshly squeezed juice tastes better.

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

17312.2 g332.4 mg0.4 g0.2 g0 g24 g0.3 g4 g1.7 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate.

This cocktail would be perfect for all of your holiday festivities, including brunch. Invite your friends to join you on RecAPP by Stoli to capture your original moments. It’s a free app that lets you create video recaps of events and share them with friends. Just link your social networks, hit record, and share!

My Mom wanted me to comment for her, her and my Papa love this drink! Since my Papa just got off lipitor he’s been dying to have some grapefruit, and my Mom wanted to do something special for him for Christmas so she took a peek at this blog and decided to make the cocktail. Needless to say it was a hit! As for a name, how does Pretty in Pink sound?

Oh my god. I told my mom about this recipe around Thanksgiving time and I swear she has made one for herself at least twice a week since. Thanks for sharing! Love these pictures and this recipe…as always.

Please name it the Ruby Catherine. Ruby because of the grapefruit. Catherine for Catherine the Great. (Ruby Catherine is my maternal grandmother who died when I was 19.) She (and my mom) taught me to cook and to entertain. It’s because of them that I am a caterer today!
(By the way; this coctail is devine.)

Hey Lisa, I’m not quite sure I understand your question. I used plain vodka and honey simple syrup, which is very easy to make! Or if you want to use honey vodka (which I didn’t know existed until right now), you might not need any sweetener! Not sure.

Sorry, I didn’t quite say what I meant…oops! I meant to say that I wanted to use the Stoli Honey Vodka (sold under the name Stiki), instead of the vodka and honey simple syrup. I was just scared that it wouldn’t be sweet enough, though…although I just bought the vodka last night and haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t know how sweet it is on its own….but I believe taste testing is in order for the weekend! :)

Ooo i just found this site in May and im so happy to have your site bookmarked now, everything looks sooo very yummy! This drink is fabulous! I am good at naming things and while you probably already have a name for this since i am so late, i thought i would throw a few out that maybe you could use later. Here are my thoughts:

I serendipitously found your website while looking for a grapefruit-based cocktail recipe. I made candied grapefruit peel this morning and have some grapefruit-flavored simple syrup, which I will substitute for the honey simple syrup in your recipe. I may garnish my drinks with a piece of the candied peel and a sprig of Rosemary. Thank you and Stoli for this recipe!

I just made this last night and it was fabulous. My only substitution is that I used rosemary vodka that I recently infused. So good As far as a name, it’s so similar to a greyhound that I may call it the Rosy Greyhound. :)

I love all the names people have come up with. As for what kind of drink it is, I’d say it is a variation on a classic cosmopolitan.
Try using Saint Germaine (elderberry liqueur)instead of the honey syrup for a different (and delicious) twist!

I swear this is the first time I’ve seen this. I make that pronouncement because I made something similar several months ago — and it hasn’t found it’s way onto my blog yet. I’m calling mine a Ruby-Thyme Spritzer. Obviously, I used thyme, but my simple syrup used honey instead of sugar too. Great minds or suspiciously similar? Too funny!

This cocktail is perfect. Simple to make with easy to find ingredients. It is eloquent and sophisticated in flavour with the perfect hint of honey. Will be making this at our next holiday party. Thank you for sharing.

Just had two of these! :) So delicious. I squeezed a meyer lemon for each drink and just used a dash of agave instead of making the honey syrup. Wish I bought more than one grapefruit! You could call it a Ruby Rose :)